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Police chief seeks new animal-control officer and higher base pay; mayor and council weigh costs
Summary
Police Chief Perkins proposed adding an animal control officer and vehicle and recommended raising patrol pay through a step program to better compete with neighboring agencies; startup costs were described as substantial and council asked staff for detailed financial plans.
Police Chief Perkins reviewed comparisons between Aransas Pass and nearby Aransas County on animal-control workload and animal- shelter capacity, saying Aransas Pass does roughly 75% of the work with fewer staff. "My proposal is adding 1 additional animal control officer, at an estimated base rate of $20.95 an hour... total of $59,488," the chief said, adding a request for an animal-control vehicle (estimated $70,000–$80,000).
On broader police pay and retention, Chief Perkins presented a pay-study summary showing Aransas Pass below the midpoint compared with neighboring agencies and proposed raising starting bases and creating a 2/4/6-year step program to retain and recruit officers. He acknowledged the one-time startup cost would be large and asked the council to consider phased implementation or use of supplemental revenues; staff and council discussed the use of crime-control board stipends and possible bond or grant offsets.
Council asked for a clearer breakdown of how many officers are in patrol vs. management roles, verification of the estimated startup and ongoing costs, and options for smoothing the implementation of any step program. No vote or formal action occurred; staff will return with line items and financing options.
